What's the best glue for metal figures?

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

I'm sure you're not weird, Jemima - or at any rate no more so than the rest of us - but you may have been quite fortunate in not being plagued by one or more of the various frustrations surrounding super glue. In addition to those previously alluded to, the major one I've experienced is its propensity to dry out in the bottle, often before the package has been opened. I had to throw out several unused bottles as well as some barely used ones a couple of years ago because of this. Most of these were one of the most recommended brands, Gorilla, and all had been stored in my fridge. (Nor had I had them a particularly long time, though I've subsequently revised my expectations as to shelf life).The opened ones were tightly wrapped in a small plastic bag with little packs of gel to absorb any moisture from the atmosphere, all without effect. (I live in the English Midlands, BTW, not a sub-tropical region as this might lead you to suspect).

I now only buy thin CA, and only one at a time.

[Dolnikan]

I tend to use those really small really cheap tubes from discount stores and the like. With some pinning and the like, that works pretty well. Sure, they sometimes dry out in the tube, but then it's just a few cents worth and I throw it out. The biggest issue is that it sometimes takes some time to dry, but if you keep pushing it, that will at most take half a minute.

The other big issue is gluing my fingers together. I still haven't found a way to deal with that.

[carlos marighela]

The advice I have received from the shop where I buy my glue, be it ZAP, Bob Smith or Ickysticky is to store it in the fridge. That might be because it gets up to 40 degrees Celsius in summer.

The problem I find and the reason why I tend not to buy the bigger bottles is that inevitably at some point some excess glue will seal the cap to the nozzle. With screw bottles you can use the remainder but it's a pain and requires a brush applocator or toothpick handy.

[Dice Roller]

Try Weetabix.
When that stuff dries out you can never shift it.

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

I'm amazed no-one has suggested Marmite (or Vegemite in Carlos's case). There must be something it's good for.

[HerbertTarkel]

I'm amazed no-one has suggested Marmite (or Vegemite in Carlos's case). There must be something it's good for.

Vegemite sandwich? If you come from the land down under.

[Moriarty]

Depends. Uhu in ‘contact’ mode, or any super-glue and ‘blow’ on it. Pinning helps. My bugbear is glue where it doesn’t need to be.

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

Vegemite sandwich? If you come from the land down under.

As a food product, both iterations of the tar-like paste are about as palatable as a yeast infection, of which they are surely a byproduct, and constitute a crime against humanity.

[Radar]

Super glue gel, use cocktail sticks as a 'brush' to get it just where I want it.

If I want it to stick quickly, a little bit of water on the bits to be stuck speeds the process up.

Accelerator is nasty nasty stuff

[carlos marighela]

Vegemite requires too much faffing about. Respirator, NBC suit, overboots and dosimeter. It's adhesion qualities are fucking negligible once cured anyway.

Now, if you want something really nasty, there's a Kiwi version of Marmite, sold as Marmite that tastes fuck all like the original. It's got an almost sweet after taste which is quite an unpleasant surprise.

I will readily admit to actually enjoying Vegemite but my favourite spread will forever remain Patum Peperium. Gentleman's Relish is about as close to toast heaven as it is possible to get.

[Zozimus]

Another thank-you to everyone who has replied to my question about glueing metal bits together. I have lots of approaches to think about (although I was hoping to have done it all by now, but that's how life goes). The food(?) based alternatives will take me a little longer to face up to, although they seem to have potential for terrain building or landscaping.

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

I'll admit I haven't personally used Marmite or its southern hemisphere equivalent as an adhesive and have no idea how effective it might prove for the task under discussion. It is, however, unquestionably dense enough to serve for temporary adhesion, and has been employed by some modellers for masking purposes. I am of the strong opinion, however, that its true metier is likely to be as a paint stripper.

[Moriarty]

One point I forgot - clean surfaces are a must.